Santander Homers in Return to Baltimore, But Jays Fall Short to Orioles
Anthony Santander’s return to Baltimore came with warm greetings from former teammates and a genuinely positive reception from fans. While it wasn’t exactly a hero’s welcome, the appreciation was real.
Toronto invested heavily in Santander’s bat during free agency, and he finally delivered with his first home run as a Blue Jay—a 404-foot shot to right-center in the third inning. Despite his milestone, the Jays couldn’t hold on, losing 5-4 after the Orioles clawed back from a 3-0 deficit.
Santander, clearly pleased with the moment, donned the team’s home run jacket with ease—no surprise considering how often he wore it during his Orioles tenure.
The Blue Jays (8-7), who started the day atop the AL East despite limited power, looked lively early on. The homer was the first from the top of their batting order this season. In fact, the trio of Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Santander went a combined 6-for-13 with three extra-base hits—marking their best offensive output so far.
Bichette and Guerrero got the Jays on the board quickly with back-to-back doubles. By the end of the third inning, they had already matched their extra-base hit total from a four-game sweep in Boston earlier in the week.
Three Takeaways from the Game
1. Bowden’s Solid Outing Deserved Better Pitcher Bowden Francis had a strong start, allowing just two hits—both homers. Heston Kjerstad’s two-run shot in the fifth broke up Francis’ no-hit bid, and Adley Rutschman tied it up with a solo homer in the sixth. Despite his performance, Francis was tagged for five earned runs in 5.2 innings, partly due to defensive miscues and lack of run support.
2. Promising Performances from Lukes and Lucas Easton Lucas has filled in admirably for injured ace Max Scherzer, and he’s slated to start again on Monday. Nathan Lukes, manning center field in Daulton Varsho’s absence, stood out by reaching base three times and scoring twice. He also made a highlight-reel diving catch in shallow center.
3. Double Plays Dampen Offense Though the Jays outhit the Orioles 10-5, they grounded into four double plays and left six runners on base. A critical miscue occurred in the fifth when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was ruled out for leaving early on a tag-up attempt. That misjudgment likely cost the team a run.
Looking Ahead
The Jays wrap up their series in Baltimore with a 1:35 p.m. game on Sunday. Jose Berrios will take the mound for Toronto, aiming to bounce back from a rough Opening Day outing against the Orioles. Baltimore counters with Cade Povich, who’s struck out 12 over 10.1 innings this season.
